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Battle of Thule
The Battle of Thule was an engagement that took place during the early Clone Wars that marked the end of the Dark Reaper Crisis. The Dark Reaper was being reassembled by Count Dooku and Cydon Prax in the city of Kessiak. It was a weapon of mass destruction that the he planned on using to destroy the Republic. Following the Republic's successful conquest of the planet's nearby moon which disabled Thule's planetary shield, at least six Acclamator-class assault ships were sent to the planet. Clearing the Landing Zone Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi led a force of five Low Altitude Assault Transports in an attack on a CIS supply base to use it's landing pads as a landing zone for Republic forces and air vehicles. The landing zone was protected by homing spider droids, Ground Armored Tanks, AATs and proton torpedo turrets along with a small number of vulture droids. The gunships ripped through the droid defences as additional gunships, torrent starfighters and Jedi interceptors provided air cover against reinforcing squads of vulture droids up above. Two acclamator-class assault ships arrived after the LAATs cleared the landing zone, and Kenobi was tasked with carrying a squad of engineers from the 7th Sky Corps to each of two energy farms that powered the shields for the Separatist command centre. Ground Mobilisation The acclamators deployed three AT-TE walkers and two companies of clone troopers as a vanguard, a force which was followed by walkers and personnel from the 46th Reaver Corps, 7th Sky Corps, 501st Legion, 111th Heavy Brigade, 212th Attack Battalion, 184th Strike Battalion, and a number of other units. Their target was a pair of droid factories and a techno union ship protected by droid infantry, vehicles, and proton torpedo turrets that the factory kept bolstering by producing more. Only the AT-TEs had the weapons necessary to penetrate the armour that fortified each building. Vulture droid starfighters were harrying Republic forces at the landing zone, so Low Altitude Assault Transport gunships and Aethersprite-class Jedi starfighters took to fighting them in the sky above as Torrent fighters steadily arrived to provide support. Attack on the Factories Several Grand Army units were beyond decimated during the engagement, but managed to overwhelm the majority of the droid forces and destroy the twin factories. Bombing runs and reinforcements reduced most of the droids to scrap and rubble. Plateau Engagements A team from the 111th Heavy Brigade rescued survivors from a unit of clones that were ambushed and encircled by battle droids on the plateau. Second Attack on the Factories A second set of factories were located, with another acclamator landing and providing additional support. Republic forces swarmed and destroyed the factories. Kenobi's Mission Jedi General Kenobi's engineers successfully destroyed the energy farms' shield generators so that Kenobi and his squadron could turn their gunships' weapons on the energy farms, wrecking the buildings. Several engineers were lost during the fighting, but a Republic Commando helped see them through and they were all extracted via gunship. Combat Intensifies Eleven other techno union ships were spotted throughout the battlefield and Grand Army troops set out to destroying these and a number of droid divisions sent to hinder the assault on the command centre. Each hardcell transport was protected by at least two proton torpedo turrets. Attack on the Command Centre Kenobi's gunship squadron arrived, supported by Torrent and Jedi starfighters on high, and wrought havoc among the wings of vulture droids meant to defend the centre. Ordinary and Alpha-class ARCs rappelled from their transports alongside Republic Commandos and stormed the complex, acquiring data and sabotaging weapons systems. Other specialists, including several from the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps, engaged battle droids and Nemoidian legionaires on the platforms to buy them some time. Their missions were a success and the numerous clone and volunteer specialists retreated. Kenobi's gunships destroyed every platform and defense emplacement they could find, annihilating the command centre's defences and allowing the Republic to destroy it, hindering the Confederacy's communications capabilities planet-wide. Approach to the Capital With the command centre destroyed, the Grand Army advanced towards the capital city. Their initial attack was repulsed in several areas and at least three Jedi starfighters were destroyed by the turrets defending one of the droid starfighter hangars. Enemy air support intensified throughout the region and clone troopers were forced to battle it out with the enemy in metallic trenches. General Mace Windu gathered personnel from the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps and 187th Legion in a clearing next to an acclamator, with their forces also being bolstered by six Saber fighter tanks, three AT-XT walkers, three AT-TEs and a number of AT-RTS. Following the briefing they joined the engagement. Droid and Republic infantry, tank and air units battled for supremacy in the cliffs, valleys, canyons and fields while General Windu worked to destroy the starfighter hangars to limit the CIS air support for the capital city. Mortar tanks pelted GAGR troops as gunships and CIS transports brought in more combatants and ammunition. Plateau Factories The enemy's air presence was largely neutralised. An acclamator landed in a clearing and deployed five AT-TEs supported by a squadron of Saber tanks and infnatry. At their head, Mace Windu and Luminara Unduli attacked the factories. The factories were destroyed with light losses and the infantry and walkers remained behind to mop up droid infantry as Mace and Luminara pressed on toward the capital city, where Mace encountered and had to destroy two Protodekas. The way to the city walls was clear. Enter the Protodekas The Protodeka droid platforms were expensive and saw little use during the Clone Wars due to their limited production, however the Battle of Thule was an exception where multiple Protodekas were deployed. Windu destroyed one, and other Jedi and clones were responsible for destroying several others. Yoda's Reinforcements Master Yoda sent in a assault ship to help with the invasion, one of several already taking part in the fight, it bolstered the Grand Army forces. The Capital City The outskirts of the capital were protected numerous armoured droid units and tall turret towers. Windu's fighter tank was destroyed by Cydon Prax, but he continued on foot and infiltrated the city's outer service ducts, destroying the gate's control mechanism. Enemy officers were using other service ducts that led to or were used as defensive and communications outposts. Various clones, volunteers and Jedi were responsible for dealing with those. Skywalker's Arrival With the gates opened, units from the 7th Sky Corps and 501st Legion were free to enter the capital city. The 91st Corps and 187th Legion continued battling the Separatists outside while Anakin's strike force engaged in heavy fighting throughout the city's ruined streets. Armoured units battled in the wide streets while clones and droids sought an advantage in the alleyways. Anakin and a pair of elite pilots took advantage of a hole created by the rest of the strike force, defeating Cydon Prax's dreadnought tank and killing him before moving on and destroying the newly-powered up Dark Reaper. Anakin used techniques taught to him by the Force ghost of Ulic Qel-Droma to bring the machine down and destroyed it. Aftermath The next few days saw the entire planet placed under Republic control. Skywalker and Kenobi pondered Skywalker's new powers, which were both a blessing and a burden. Force Composition 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps * 187th Legion 7th Sky Corps * 501st Legion * 212th Attack Battalion 41st Elite Corps 46th Reaver Corps Special Operations Brigade 111th Heavy Brigade 184th Strike BattalionCategory:Battle Category:Thule Category:Clone Wars Category:Battle of Thule Category:Republic Victory Category:Grand Army of the Galactic Republic Category:Confederacy of Independent Systems Category:Confederate Military